I have to bring it up, remember what you told me?
You said, “Son go outside and play,”
And when I got scraped up you said, “everything would be OK.”

You told me life was like baseball, three strikes and I’m out.
You told me drive slow, but you never said, don’t take the fast route.
When I was young, I thought you knew everything,
Until I realized that death was a part of our reality.

Mom, it’s like the world’s against me, because I’m black.
I want kids, but I don’t want them to go through that.

Why do they hate us?
Why do they laugh?
It’s like you get your respect, when you get your cash.

Mom, what’s modern day slavery?
I thought slavery was dead.
So constitutions and amendments mean nothing, now that Lincoln is dead.
I’ll go read a book and find what they hid,
Because you told me, they been hiding things there, since I was a kid.

If only words could show
The depth of my heart
Or the love I have for her
My mother
A strong black mother
Who through adversity stayed strong
Single yet still held on
Embrace me within your arms
Your gentle voice saying
“We’ll make it through the storm”
My joy comes from you
My strength
My will
And my love too
Without you there is no me
You mean the world
So for you I wear my heart on my sleeve

They say change is easy but I disagreeJudge acts like I’m the firstThough it’s been millions of brothas before meI believe change is harder for someCuz not all these dudes come from the slumsNoodles change to lobsterKoolAid turn to wineYeah it sounds fineWorries the size of dimesI swear I wish I couldBut I realize the truthI’ma keep tryingTill I can show my mommaThat I changed

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Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop

Free Minds uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken DC youth incarcerated as adults to their own potential. Through creative expression, job readiness training, and violence prevention outreach, these young poets achieve their education and career goals, and become powerful voices for change in the community.

Winner of the 2015 Aspen Ideas Award from the Aspen Institute, the Justice Potter Stewart Award from the Council for Court Excellence, and the Library of Congress Best Practices in Literacy Award.

United Way of the National Capital Area (UWNCA) #9633
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) # 75998